a guru of bits, or just a bit player?

When I was in 2nd grade, I was quite fond of Weight Watchers Apple Snacks. These were apples, cubed, dried until brittle, and absolutely delicious. The pieces were small (maybe 3x3x8mm), browned on the outside from the drying process, and many had dried peel on one face.

Most dried apple products in the world are only halfway dried, with chewy or rubbery apple pieces, but not Weight Watchers Apple Snacks. The pieces were so dry they were difficult to deform with the fingers. Taking a pair of pliers to one would result in a crunching sound and a small pile of white dust. One’s teeth would do about the same as pliers, of course.

In addition to standard apple flavor, it also came in strawberry, peach, and cinnamon. These were just the same dried apple cubes sprinkled with artificially flavored pink, orange, or brown dust. It sounds disgusting but I was fond of the peach and especially the strawberry, even though they left my fingers covered with neon grime. Cinnamon was edible but I didn’t much care for it.

NEW WEIGHT WATCHERS® FRUIT SNACK

Fruit Snack is made from crisp, delicious apples…like popular Apple Snack. Comes in 3 delicious flavors…tasty flavored Cinnamon, Peach, and Strawberry. The naturally sweet treats for the whole family … at parties, between meals and school lunches. Eat Smart with Weight Watchers Apple Snack and new Fruit Snack…they fit into your weight control program.

I once got in immense trouble—and rightfully so—for consuming an Apple Snack that had been given to my brother and left unguarded, then repeatedly denying it. It somehow seemed worth the risk at the time.

As far as I can tell, Weight Watchers Apple Snacks vanished from the face of the planet in the 1970s. I have been able to find two modern-day products that are somewhat reminiscent, but describing those will have to wait for another day.

OMG I loved these snacks too and remember them when I was in grade school. They came out again in the 90’s. I used to order the peach and strawberry by the case full from my local grocery store. Even though they were expensive at the time .75cents per pack. The case would usually cost me around $30 from what I could remember. Then all of a sudden. I couldn’t get them anymore. No idea why they would do away with such a great product. I’d love to get these again. I recently had a baby and found that in the baby section they make a fruit snack that is very similar..Doesn’t come in that wonderful peach flavor though. Just pineapple, banana and strawberry.

Me too!! I have been looking for Weight Watcher’s Apple Snacks for years. When I was on the W.W. diet it helped me so much in losing weight–took the place of all the chips–because they were good and crispy. I can’t for the life of me understand why they would discontinue making them.

I remember back in grade school (1980?) when kids would bring these to school and share. They were awesome and set the bar for what I thought a dehydrated fruit snack was supposed to look and taste like.